RIM is black-burying carriers with half-baked BlackBerrys

Launching new products is always difficult. Launching new products with hundreds of different carriers is exponentially more difficult. Apparently there is an easy way and a hard way to do things, however, and RIM has been making carriers offers they can’t refuse. BGR has learned from a trusted source that RIM has been strong-arming several carriers, essentially forcing them to approve devices they normally would not move through the Technical Acceptance phase.

Here is how it works: once an OS software build (bundle) has been tested internally at RIM, and the OS performs well, it moves up to be a Technical Acceptance candidate. The OS is then sent to the carrier to test and approve, or test and reject. If a carrier rejects a build, it can take weeks to get a new build tested and approved, and it can slow down a device’s release by months — as evidenced many times with different BlackBerry products in the past.

What’s the problem, then? We have been informed by a very reliable source at a major carrier that RIM has been putting an enormous amount of pressure on carriers to approve the upcoming BlackBerry smartphones like the BlackBerry Bold 9900 — phones that have to hold RIM over until its next-generation platform launch in 2012 — and that certain carriers will be approving the devices, “no matter what — with bugs and problems.” Additionally, RIM is putting huge pressure on its internal engineers to deliver Technical Acceptance bundles even when there are serious problems with the OS. In short, RIM is pushing unfinished OS builds from its engineers to the carriers, and demanding that the carriers approve them.

The thing is, this isn’t something new, and it’s part of the reason your BlackBerry is so buggy, reboots randomly, and there are possible signal and connection issues. There have been multiple devices, we have been told, that have been forced through the Technical Acceptance process with multiple carriers, and it’s one of the reasons some carriers launch devices sooner than others (barring any exclusivity arrangements) — some play ball but others won’t. Remember how Rogers was one of the first carriers to launch the BlackBerry Bold 9000 while AT&T didn’t launch the device until November? The device constantly failed Technical Acceptance on AT&T, but Rogers pushed the device out anyway as a result of pressure from RIM. And Rogers is most certainly not the only carrier that has found itself in that position.

Spokespeople from RIM and Rogers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An AT&T spokesperson declined to comment.

As far as I can tell, BGR doesn’t really seem to patrol the comments. I’ve seen people complain about their posts being removed, but considering the typical trollery that doesn’t even get a passing mention, I don’t know what kind of outrageous shit they’re saying.

http://twitter.com/jj_hh1 J Hamburg

DHCP. in his case even more THC

Punctilious1

Agreed. Offensive and an idiot.

Anonymous

En Anglais?

http://twitter.com/jj_hh1 J Hamburg

I guess RIM is selling its BB’s with a bag of Ganja these days. Mhhh, nice selling point – makes me think :))

Because the best way to restore faith in a dying company is to push out a product that isn’t 100%. Customers that want to believe in Blackberry will then join the masses that have turned from fans into haters of the product. Seriously RIM?

Bullyboyb

Maybe if the carriers stopped stuffing the OS builds with bloatware they would be more stable. No wonder rim is strong-arming the carriers. Their bloatware causes the instability and rim aint having it.

Simple as.
No wonder the carriers feel the pressure

Anonymous

So, since there’s minimal amounts of bloatware… what the fuck is RIM’s excuse for the instability?

Applesucksfatties

Minimal? Have you seen a list of software on the BBs released by AT&T? Good lord, it is like getting a new computer. I’m just waiting for the “free AOL” icons to start showing up.

Anonymous

@5902eb03c52f69077706fc9e6b29398f:disqus This raises another question, to wit: If Android can deal with it, why can’t RIM? While you might be right about how much bloatware comes with a Blackberry (I don’t deal with them and all the people I know who used to deal with them don’t anymore), the fact that their phones fall apart with it does not impress.

They need to slow their roll. I think they need one enterprise phone and one mass-consumer phone. Market them as such. Brand them as such. Optimize them as such.

That’s just my take, though.

http://marcparadise.com/ Marc Paradise

@Applesucksfatties:disqus actually you’ll see that most of the installed software are just links to install the software – in other words it’s nothing that’s installed or running on your BB. Just hide the icons and move on.

Anonymous

” If Android can deal with it, why can’t RIM?”

To be honest, I have had BlackBerrys and Android phones since 2007 and I don’t notice any more stability with Android than I do with BlackBerrys. The main reason BlackBerrys have problems is because of the hardware. The processor is too slow and the memory is too small. The Physical device is a beast and the software is actually very robust. You can do sooooo much with the BlackBerry OS, but the whole process is tarnished because of crappy internals.

@twitter-47449445:disqus You know just as well as I do that there isn’t a direct parallel between an overlay influencing every part of the OS and some third-party games or email clients or something along those lines.

Uh huh

And since every phone has bloatware on it, I wonder what makes Blackberry unable to handle it. Weird…

Redline78

Well…every phone except iPhone.

Bullyboyb

All it takes is one rouge piece of code to cause reboots and such. Especially if its intergrated in the OS and cannot be removed by the end user.
Android has its problems caused by bloatware I should think.
Windows phone the end user can remove the bloatware (microsoft put this a requirement, ask yourself why) and the os is buttery smooth (I own one and I have never had to do a battery pull or restart ever since the NoDo update)
Iphone no bloatware and very smooth minimal bugs.

Just look at the current issues with the windows phones by samsung. All other phones are getting updated with no issues but Samsungs compulsion to tamper with the OS has lead to problems.
The answer is simple, if you don’t have your own OS and you are a carrier don’t add any bloatware to the phone. All major OS companies have app stores. Put your bloatware apps there for thoose who want them to download and we will all live happily ever after.

https://profiles.google.com/lorax1284/ The Lorax

Conjecture. Say it enough and people will believe it.

@Uh huh, I am just wondering which BlackBerry you had that was so unstable. I think it’s an interesting data point. I had a BlackBerry Bold 9000 and currently have a Torch 9800 and I didn’t have any serious instability problems (no moreso than my Android-powered Dell Streak or my iOS iPhone 3GS)

ThatGuy

The RIM OS IS bloatware… No adding or subtracting is going to change that. Except the battery pull app…you know your OS sucks if the number 1 app is to simulate a battery pull

Anonymous

Seriously are stupid enough to believe the biased crap on this, the shittiest blog on earth?

Talk about putting out half-baked product… that’s what BGR does on a daily basis.

http://twitter.com/Poita316 Peter Fox

Most carriers don’t offer the newest OS for a device.
Mine, the largest in my country, before Vodafone, has an OS5 for the Bold 9700 while OS6.0.0.600 is already out.
Same goes for AT&T with the Torch, it doesn’t go higher then .526 for OS6 while the .600 is already out.
RIM has the updates / fixed OS, the carriers just don’t release it.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=792144454 Tyler Jacobs

Same old shit just a different day

RicoRich196

Out here tryin to get it, each and every way.

TheMusicMogul

Mama need a house/Baby need some shoes/ Times are getting hard/ Guess what I’mma do

Dumb and Dumber

Thank you BGR for another useless article.

You mean to tell me big business pressure other businesses to release product? You HAVE to kidding me…that sounds so wrong and immoral.

Next you’re going to tell me that businesses pay off other businesses to hide certain product inadequacies and that Bill did have sexual relations with Monica.

Anonymous

The problem isn’t the push. The problem is when the push ends up fucking the consumer. I’ll bet you Motorola was pushing to have the Droid Bionic released… but VZW told them to eat a bag of dicks and come back when the phone works.

RIM’s equivalent of the Droid Bionic is being released. There’s a difference between trying and succeeding in this particular scenario.

http://twitter.com/mfg68 MFG

I really hope Verizon told them to “eat a bag of dicks”.

Bonbwa

They got the storm through!

Anonymous

Yeah, they “got the Storm” the same way you “get chlamydia.” Once you realized that it’s happened, you try to minimize the fallout, make sure the problem doesn’t happen again… then do everything in your power to forget that it happened in the first place.

Matthew

lol i had that phone what a piece of junk, glad i dumped that phone for an android phone.

Dumb and Dumber

Corporate push always ends up messing with the consumer. Consumers buy it anyway, in just about every scenario with just about every product line. Would you really consider buying a product that didn’t have basic functionality like the ability to copy and paste or MMS or unified mailboxes?? The mere thought of that sends chills down my spine when I have to consider things like lacklustre programming and corporate spin…yet companies push product like that to market and people eat it up.

Anonymous

I wouldn’t… but I acknowledge the existence of an audience who, for whatever reason, wouldn’t give a shit. People are willing to make sacrifices in the “essentials” if they’re promised something extra on the opposite end. A sports car can be said to be lacking in essentials, but the people who buy them want more of what a sports car gives them.

Besides, Apple’s reality distortion field is just a known thing at this point. I’d argue that they’re the only company in the world who could do something like that without causing tech nerd riots.

Nope

Oh totally. It’s not a big deal at all that RIM is forcing its partners to sell faulty products to their customers. Perfectly good business practice. Keep moving, nothing to see here.

1magine

Dependes on what your definition of “is” is.

http://www.mywpstory.com My Windows Phone Story

I don’t know about you – but I’m cool with a slightly buggy device if I get it a couple months earlier.

It’s not like a perfect, bug-free device from RIM will change my impression of BlackBerry’s being buggy. The damage is done. Now gimme my bold 9900!

Anonymous

I’m less cool with it if that slightly buggy device deletes my data, or won’t maintain reliable internet connectivity, or any other of the sort of problems that would make the phone completely worthless as an overall device.

That’s just me though. If you want to have a brick in your pocket because it’s the latest brick, far be it from me to tell you otherwise.

Anonymous

You know, there are better devices…

Anonymous

If the release of the new hhs is delayed even more, they wont have a company left to sell phones with. Share price will dive big time and buyout will happen.

berrygood

and this is different from android how?

Anonymous

You’re so witty.

Blake Winston78701

Come on BGR, kick RIM while they’re down. If RIM doesn’t begin some innovative ways to re-engineer itself it will soon be in the dead zone, its stock worthless. I’m a Crackberry user, hate to see RIM go but if they’re not going to be competitive out there, earn the business, then either their CEO or the Company needs to reevaluate itself.

https://profiles.google.com/lorax1284 The Lorax

So… what you’re saying is that RIM is RIGHT to pressure the carriers to get their next generation technologies out to market as fast as possible… do I understand you correctly?

http://marcparadise.com/ Marc Paradise

“So… what you’re saying is that RIM is RIGHT to pressure the carriers
to get their next generation technologies out to market as fast as
possible… do I understand you correctly?”

Actually he seemed to say nothing of the sort. To your point though — I am wondering about the story behind the story (and this is what makes BGR so frustrating – interesting leads, but a single-source anonymous report does not a *story* make). What kinds of issues are causing the hold up? Are we talking about the “quality” concerns of BlackBerry Bridge, which most likely amount to AT&T getting peeved that RIM is reducing their opportunity to sell tethering plans? Or are they actual, real issues with the devices?

Without that information, we have another rumor with little substance.

https://profiles.google.com/lorax1284/ The Lorax

I know @b4c1d7afe5381ebcf358ca6cac8b5d27:disqus didn’t actually say “RIM should coerce carriers”… but saying that RIM needs to urgently get new tech out into the field to remain relevant and viable is supporting the notion that for RIM to NOT pressure carriers would be borderline negligence w.r.t. shareholder value.

So I end up asking myself again: is this BGR report supposed to reflect NEGATIVELY or POSITIVELY on RIM? It’s certainly written as another case of BGR “RIM SUX!” mantra, but I’m sure next week BGR will have a critical article to the effect of “RIM not pressuring carriers enough to release next gen technologies…” “A trusted insider at a major carrier today disclosed that RIM does not keep on top of carrier testing of new platform releases, leaving it solely to the carrier’s discretion as to whether or not the build is viable for release…” “RIM really dropped the ball here… par for the course…!”

Anonymous

Crapberries, the crapberrybois eat them up!

Anonymous

The amazing thing is that there are still people buying these devices.

Keymaker

Well most of the blackberry users I know are payed to use them by companies. I don’t think anyone in their right mind would go out and buy a blackberry now in days. Most users are forced to use them by companies and they have to carry a extra smartphone for themselves, that’s why Rim is dying.

https://profiles.google.com/lorax1284/ The Lorax

I love my Torch, but I also owned an iPhone 3GS (used it after I sold my BB9000, in anticipation of the Torch 9800 release… used it in between, but never really got “into” it) and I have a Nexus S (which just fine as a device… but it’s touch-screen keyboard is flaky, and despite it being very powerful, it does stutter a bit… but the OLED screen is GORGEOUS). But even though I’ve tried the rest, I always return to my BlackBerry 9800 (and miss my Bold 9000 once in a while still… I hope I’ll stop missing it when the Torch 2 comes out)

If RIM’s industrial design is successfully copied and employed on an iOS or Android device (one hand portrait orientation keyboard with navigation trackpad) then the other OS platforms might be as useful to me… I’d consider an Android or iOS touchscreen device that is a portrait slider with a keyboard and trackpad, and then I could choose the OS on its own merits. Right now, the BlackBerry form factor PLUS the OS is the package, not just the OS, not just the hardware… and most of the Android devices just don’t cut it to be my main device.

Anonymous

I’m sorry but if this means faster release Blackberries I’m all for it. How about an article about how the carriers take so long to approve an OS build? I’ve been on a stable OS leak for months before an actual carrier made it “official”.

http://twitter.com/Ether813_IX Ian Ximinies

Meh…and the difference between this and the htc thunderbolt that is randomly rebooting and all those samsungs whose gps didnt work in the past are what exactly? RIM sounds like they are doing what everyone else does…get it approved while working on a update that happens to be ready the day the device is released.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GP2WYAHXS6CRUREISWBGPUSUGE Michael

Samsung’s problem with the GPS where hardware related. Not firmware. They did some patches that would improve it, but the base of the problem was hardware.

as far as the thunderbolt i know 2 people with that, neither one of them complain about random reboots. I know some people suffer from it. but i’m leaning more to a rouge app that’s interfering with the scripts that interact with the LTE radios.

http://twitter.com/Ether813_IX Ian Ximinies

I understand what your saying…i guess for me, until there is someone out there putting out a product with no major issues whatsoever, it seems everyone is putting out something that is buggy in some way, shape or form, just depends on how big of a bug an individual thinks it is.

I loved my Fascinate…damn GPS was the death of me, cause I usually tried to check in whenever i went out…gave it to the GF, who didnt care to use the GPS…so it was “perfect for her”

Anonymous

Whatever it is, it was maddening, i took mine back out of sheer frustration.

anDROIDfan

What is it with you and rouge apps? Would you prefer a different color? And why don’t you just say red? I mean if you use rouge, mauve, and salmon for colors, it sounds like you’re an interior decorator. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GP2WYAHXS6CRUREISWBGPUSUGE Michael

You mean to tell me with the “spinning clock of doom” and daily battery pulls the old OSs wer finished and refined?

On the other hand Google (Android), Apple (iOS), and Microsoft (WinMo) would LOVE for Research in Motion to do something as brain dead as this.

RIM loses customer due to poor performance form phones and bugs, everyone else gains those said customers.

Anonymous

everyone else is gaining customers even if RIM did release stable devices because at this point they are still rehashing the same devices thats been around last 3 years

zacamandapio

Michael,
I’ve had every single GSM BlackBerry since the 7100t. I’ve never (honestly) had a problem with any of phones. No data loss, no random re-starts, no bugs or anything like that. I don’t think Android or even iOS will get my business any time soon.

marc

You’re either very lucky, or you don’t do much with your phones.

zacamandapio

Marc,
Do much like?
I use a phone for what a phone is used for. 1st I make lots of phone calls. I send and receive messages (SMS, MMS, Email, IM). I listen to music while at the gym.
Very little web browsing and no games at all. I’ve other stuff to play games. That’s what I use my phone for and it gets me thru a couple of days worth of use.

Now I’ve used other platforms and as I mentioned before, they all have their minuses.
For example, in order to make Android useful you’ve to turn off wifi, turn off bluetooth, turn off gps and then dim the screen (because you need a charger for work, car and house). At the end what’s it used for? And also, when I receive an email 4hrs later after it was sent is just not cool. Specially when you use 5 email accounts. That’s why I still use what I use.
Media wise other phones are just too good against a BlackBerry. But for getting things done, Blackberry make me the most money.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GP2WYAHXS6CRUREISWBGPUSUGE Michael

@b987e0a3278ebd51364b197ab1f0ae9e:disqus I’ve owned a 8100, 8310, 8900, 9530, 9700. I cannot count the number of times i had to pull the battery to get rid of the spinning clock of death. I mean running a Hybrid ROM would help some, but not to the point it all being gone for once and for all. Blackberry are nice devices. They’ve just ALWAYS felt unfinished and half baked. I know Android (i do use an Android phone and Android Tab) and iOS ( i do have an ipod touch) are not perfect and they are they do fall short. But Blackberry was by far the worse when it comes to half baked OSs.

zacamandapio

Michael,
I’m sorry to hear that. Hopefully what you use now is the best choice for you.

http://twitter.com/DaJagman Jonathan Harmon

What kind of leverage does RIM have??? If I was a porterhouse steak I wouldn’t fear a toothless lion……..this story is ridiculous…..

Anonymous

the U.S. market it a big part of the smartphone industry but it isn’t the entire industry. If u bothered to learn a little bit about RIM before commenting u would realize that the BB is very popular in foreign countries. Possibly why the author spoke of how Rogers (a Canadian phone company) released a phone months before AT&T did. I’m sure in those countries RIM has some leverage. I do think RIM is headed where palm and nokia are. The U.S. market right or wrong does seem to determine whether a phone company thrives or dies. True story.

http://twitter.com/wafguy WAF Guy

Breaking news! RIM is doing the same stuff they’ve always been doing! As examples look back three years to summer 2008 when they were pushing the Bold 9000 through on Rogers. More recently, look at this summer where RIM has prematurely pushed through a grand total of ZERO phones globally! Think of all the zero users who will be impacted by this nefarious scheme!

I’m sure RIM (and all other vendors) pressures carriers, but maybe run this story when its a bit more timely? You wouldn’t want people to get the impression that sole purpose of this site is to blindly cheer-lead for Apple and continuously shit on RIM.

Jeremiah

Why is everyone hating on the Boy Genius? If you’ve ever owned a Blackberry, you can certainly relate to this. I’ve had to replace both my Curve 8320 and 8900 so many times it’s not even funny. And don’t get me started on how many times I’ve had to do battery pulls, although in all fairness, I still have to do that with my Android T-Mobile G2.

zacamandapio

Correct,
Every single OS has their minuses.

Steel

Sure, RIM may be strong-arming the carriers to approve them, but the real question is what could possibly be motivating consumers to purchase them?

Guest

“anonymous source from a carrier…” BGR just finished an interview with MArni Walden, from Big Red- Who is well known for being overly strict on devices in the past, but letting their guard down recently.. Their was also VERY little posted about that interview RE: RIM… hmmmm… wonder who that anon source was….

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_YYCFXMUY3QJUWHYNQYSCLBF43Q Brian Ward

I believe it 100%. I was a strong Blackberry proponent until I bought the Blackberry Storm. That was the buggiest piece of garbage phone I have ever owned. I wrote letters to both Verizon and RIM. Verizon apologized and asked how they could help, RIM didn’t bother responding. I can’t state emphatically enough how happy I am their stock has dropped more than 50% over the past 3 months. I sincerely hope they go out of business. Bad bad business ethics and products.

Wejgewijgiw

shut up, virgin fucking stupid fag shit piece of assholepiss

marc

I won’t go as far as hoping they go out of business, because people’s lively hood are on the line, but RIMM should have to pay for releasing the storm, that phone was unacceptable.

Applesucksfatties

Judging by your photo, you whine about everything. Did you write a letter to Steve Jobs when your iCrap 4 device didn’t work without the phone condom on it?

Scott8586

“your BlackBerry is so buggy, reboots randomly, and there are possible signal and connection issues.”

I don’t know what alternate universe you live in, but I’ve had a 8703, 8830, and a two 9630 (one with the roller ball hardware defect), and I’ve never had a single problem with “reboots randomly” or “possible signal and connection issues”.

Any problems I have had were because of a bad app, not the OS.

GMAFB.

http://profiles.google.com/organicgrl77 Shay Miller

I hope this isn’t true..especially for signal.. I have always had problems with my blackberry and signals but didn’t realize it until my hubby purchased an android phone. In our house, we both couldn’t get service with our blackberries but when he purchased his android he gets service throughout the entire house even on the lower level (basement). Any of our friends that comes over don’t have Sprint so we was thinking it was the Sprint network.

http://twitter.com/demonstrator demonstrator

There are too many kinds of blackberry. When they first started, having a blackberry meant you had a blackberry, and there were 2-3 models. Now they have too many to choose from. Apple has 1 phone. Blackberry should cut back to a half touch/half key approach, push the torch as THE model, and maybe offer 3 price/power offerings of that one.